1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to a method of plating metals and particularly concerns a method of bonding a metallic substrate to an intermediate metallic coating and a plated metal surface.
2. The Prior Art
Numerous methods of plating metals onto metallic substrates are known. The utilities of those methods generally include decorative and functional applications.
Certain metallic substrates are traditionally difficult to plate with an adherent metal coating. For example, aluminum and aluminum alloys (hereinafter collectively referred to as "aluminum") are characterized with numerous plating difficulties; including problems of adhesion of metal coatings. A solution to the problems inherent in plating aluminum is especially important due to present-day needs for light-weight vehicles that are energy saving. Increased quantities of aluminum are being utilized in such vehicles and there is a need to provide that aluminum with adherent coatings of decorative and functional metals.
Other metallic substrates such as zinc and zinc alloys (hereinafter collectively referred to as "zinc") are difficult to plate with metal coatings of good quality.
Methods of coating aluminum and methods of bonding various metals are described in U.S. Published Patent application Ser. No. B 399,766 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,892.